10-Year-Old Winds Up In The ER Because He Refused To Fight Back Against Bullies, Saying It'd Be "Against The Jedi Way"

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, California – A fifth grader ended up in the hospital after he refused to fight back against bullies, saying it was not the Jedi way. Aiden Vazquez, 10, said he was punched in the face, called names, and that another student even took his backpack on Monday at school. He had to get several stitches to close a cut on his eyebrow.

When Aiden’s mom, Lizette Casanova, asked him why he didn’t defend himself, he cited “Star Wars” in his explanation.

“I told my mom, I got it from “Star Wars,” that it’s not the Jedi way,” he told KMIR. Casanova said she called out the school for not doing enough to protect her child, sharing a photo of his injuries on Facebook. According to Casanova, Aiden had to get three stitches last year after someone pushed him against a wall, causing him to cut his cheek.

The school district says it cannot comment on the incident because of confidentiality laws.

Man, bullying fucking sucks. Little Aiden Vazquez here wound up in the emergency room this week (for the second time in two years) to get stitches required to close up a gash on his eyebrow, suffered from an assault by bullies. When he was asked about why didn’t fight back against the bullies, he told his mother that it “…was against the Jedi way.” Very noble of young Aiden to think, “What would Luke Skywalker do?” in the midst of a beatdown, and try to follow the peaceful mantra of the Jedi in that moment.

I regret to inform him that he’s got terrible misunderstanding of the Jedi way, however. I think he’s referring to Yoda’s teachings onto Luke in ‘Empire Strikes Back’ that we see come to fruition in ‘The Last Jedi’, regarding the Jedi not using the Force backed by hate, or to attack unprovoked, but there’s a very important asterisk Aiden is just forgetting about. Jedi use the Force for KNOWLEDGE or SELF-DEFENSE. Those are the only two acceptable purposes. And uhhhh…I mean, I don’t want to be THAT GUY, I mean I feel back for the kid, he’s got stitches in his forehead, but he definitely checks one of the two boxes he needed to check. No doubt he could’ve fought back and still followed the Jedi way.

But still, I like the way this little dude’s mind works. With a little more teaching, he’ll go from Young Padawan to Jedi Knight in no time. Stay strong, Aiden. You’re the man.